Hello Stranger
by GcArchAngel
Summary: When Kitty thinks about her summer she can't wait to go on vacation, to get away from the mansion.  But when she thinks about going to school, she doesn't want to leave her home.  While out walking one night, a new offer arises. After X3ish.
1. Chapter 1

It was cold and dark outside, which was strange for mid-July. She was walking quietly through the streets, not really knowing where she was going, but her arms were huddled around her shivering frame and she thought about the things that had happened to her in the last year. She shivered both from the cold and from the angry memories that floated across her mind's eye. In her journey she walked down unfamiliar roads unaware as to the dangers that surrounded her, one being that she was a young woman, two being that she was a mutant. Before long she looked up from her sneakers, and gazed wondrously into her unknown surroundings. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. By her own mistake she wondered into an alley. Something seemed to be moving at the end of the alley, encased in darkness. "hello?" she called out tentatively, of course receiving no answer. She took another step closer and a loud band sounded beside her. She jumped and heard the mew of the cat that fell on top of the dumpster next to her. She sighed and looked over to examine it, but it ran out of the alley, and disappeared around the corner. Kitty turned her back to the darkness in the hopes of following the stray cat; unfortunately a police swat car stopped her from moving closer to the street. The City curfew was nine o'clock for mutants and it was way past that time. Therefore Kitty retreated slightly into the alley.

"going somewhere, mademoiselle?" a thick Cajun accent called from behind her and Kitty whirled to see who it was. He seemed to appear out of thin air wearing a tan trench coat and from what else she could see tactical boots. But what scared her most were his red demon eyes and how they seemed to glow in the darkness that lay behind him.

Gasping she turned and went to run for the exit but was deterred from there as well.

Languidly Mystique, her blue scales shimmering in the night air, came around the corner from where the stray cat had disappeared.

Fearfully, Kitty skidded to a halt and backed more until she heard the twirling of the man's staff.

"You-you can't touch me!" she said shakily. Breathing deeply for a second, trying to calm her nerves as two members of the Brotherhood of Mutants closed in around her.

"Wanna bet?" a cocky voice called before something sped past her. Running around her so quickly that she couldn't see what or who was doing it.

Shaking Kitty closed her eyes and held her breath.

"Hey! That's not fair!" the person running around her said stopping, standing a top the dumpster, before he quickly moved next to Mystique, Kitty had barely registered that he had moved until she felt the whoosh of wind past her and she saw him next to her. He was tall, lanky and had silver hair, but he didn't look much older than her, nor did he sound any older.

"You can't touch her Quicksilver," Mystique said in her unique and mystifying voice. "Not unless she wants you to."

"She," a booming and authoritative voice called chilling Kitty to the bone, "is a little girl I know that can walk through walls," Magneto said floating down from the sky landing in front of his highest general and his son.

Kitty said at him in shock. "But, but you were cured!"

"Cured?" Magneto scoffed, "my dear there is nothing to cure, as always we mutants evolve and will always survive over humans."

"What are you doing here?" Kitty summoned the courage to ask.

"Checking in on you, of course," Magneto replied.

"You know, just seeing how your summer is going, Kitten," a final voice called from behind her before moving past her to stand next to Magneto.

Kitty glared naturally, "stop calling me 'Kitten', JOHN," she stressed.

Mystique laughed, "oh I nearly forgot that you were once one of them."

"Yeah, but I'm not now, am I?" he quipped, his burning gaze never leaving Kitty.

"So what exactly are you here for?" Kitty said directing her attention to Magneto.

"Well we just wanted to see how you were," he grinned.

Kitty paused before answering, "so you cornered me in and alley just to ask how my summer is going?"

"Well, yes-"

Kitty couldn't help but start laughing.

"Are you excited to return to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters?"

Kitty's laugh stopped and her eyes met angrily with the ground.

"Ooo, my dear, why the scowl of hatred? It does not suit you well," Magneto said clicking his tongue.

Kitty's brow furrowed and she looked up before away. "It's nothing."

"Not as excited as I expected you to be."

Kitty shrugged and kicked a pebble with her toe.

"Would you be interested in attending a different academy for mutants?"

Kitty looked up confused, "but there aren't any."

"Oh, yes. Yes there is: The Brotherhood," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Kitty bit her lower lip looking around at all of the mutants surrounding her. "What id I don't want to?"

"Well then we leave you here. But the offer will always be on the table."

"I'll go," Kitty replied hastily, shocking the all but one of the mutants around her.

Magneto's eyes gleamed with joy, "good."


	2. Chapter 2

Kitty stood there in slight shock of herself. The deaths of her teachers had taken a toll on her certainly, and the lack of friendly faces and the Xavier Institute was her current motivation for taking Magneto up on his offer. Then again he had never said that if she decided to come she could never leave, so she thought the small chance was worth the risk.

Magneto nodded to the rest of his comrades and looked down upon Kitty once more. "Pyro will escort you to your home to help you gather your belongings, they we shall leave."

"Wait," Kitty said reaching out quickly. "What about my family?"

Magneto stopped his retreat and turn to look at her with a slight glare, "you mean those humans that you call parents? You have no family my child, there are no biological ties between you and them. They are Homo Sapien, you are Homo Superior," he said before turning and walking away.

Quicksilver too sped away down the street and Mystique transformed into a raven before taking flight. The man behind her molded back into the shadows and Pyro stood in front of her still glaring. "Come on," he said turning and walking quickly back towards her home.

Kitty struggled to keep pace with him, his long strides and quick steps made Kitty pant and nearly jog to stay near him. She felt the need to say something, but all of the words fell short in her throat when she caught up to him and tried to speak. "Uhh," came out but the glare that he gave her when his head whipped around prevented anything further from passing through her vocal cords.

When Pyro turned forward he seemed to walk faster than before and now Kitty really did have to jog to keep pace with him, which was difficult because she was beginning to develop a stitch in her side.

Kitty was soon surprised when her house came into view, Pyro walked clearly up to the walkway and pushed open the gate walking in and letting it swing for a moment while Kitty walked in behind him and shut it. "How do you know where my house is?" she questioned but received no answer.

He stood in front of it and crossed his arms as she joined him at his side. "We shouldn't go in through the front door." It had been the first thing that he had said to her since he beckoned her to follow him.

"Why?" Kitty asked confused, curious to see how much he knew.

Pyro nodded his head and pointed his finger at a security system sign in the front yard.

"Oh," Kitty blushed, "it's not engaged."

"Still. Phase into your bedroom and pack, quickly, I'm not going to wait out here for you all night."

Kitty rolled her eyes, "fine," she said and walked around to the side of their ranch-style home and walked through the wall.

Inside she sighed and covered her face with her hands, "what am I doing?" she asked herself.

Getting away from the drama. Getting advice, someone who knows what they're doing. Not someone guessing and hoping that they don't make a wrong choice and kill everyone.

"But is that any better than a psychopath that will fight against humans without any regard for life?"

"Hurry up," Pyro called from outside.

"I am," she said coldly out of her window, "won't you care to help me?"

"I guess," he frowned. "I highly doubt that you have anything tactical to pack," sighing, "Mystique is not going to be happy to take you shopping."

Kitty let out a bitter laugh and reached her hand through the wall, offering her hand to him, but when she didn't feel any contact, she swiped around until she got a fist full of fabric and yanked him into her room.

"A little warning next time?" he glared brushing himself off.

"Well when I'm waving my hand around, take it," she replied.

"Hmph," was Pyro's reply as he walked into her room, staring at the lavender color, similar to her dorm at the Xavier Institute, well when he had been there at least. He opened a closet door and started throwing clothes on the floor behind him. He saw a duffle bag and tossed it on her bag. "Pack something," he commanded her.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, socks, your granny panties? I don't care," he said finding a pair of jeans that looked in fair condition, tossing them on the bed.

"How do you even know that I want to take those?"

"I don't," was his answer.

Kitty growled in frustration and went over to her closet pushing him out of the way, "Let me pack my pants," she said. "Go pack those two drawers," she told him.

He moved swiftly across her room in the darkness, he opened the draw and saw tanks tops, tee shirts, mostly plain, some with sayings and designs. He "hmph"ed and took them out throwing them violently into the bag, and then he opened the second drawer and pulled it clear out of her dresser and dumped it into the bag, seeing some colorful things fall on to the floor. Pyro placed the stray socks in the bag and picked up the items. One of which, when he held it up to the light he saw that it was a black lacey and most definitely see through camisole of some sort and near it on the floor was a matching thong. In fact he was surprised to see two or three more sexy lingerie sets scattered on the floor.

"Who were these for?" he asked holding it up in the light for her to see.

A blush crept up Kitty's face so quickly as she reached forward and snatched the top out of his hands.

"I'm guessing either that lug of tin or Bobby Drake," he assumed spitting the name of his tongue as if it was poisonous.

Kitty didn't meet his gaze but instead packed the clothes that she had pulled from her closet and closed the bag, walking to the wall and waited for him with her hand extended.

Pyro looked at it strangely for a second before wrapping his fingers around her wrist as they walked through the wall and back to the ground. His grip tightened over her wrist as he pulled her in a weird direction. She knew that the direction that they were heading in would take them to the woods and Kitty struggled, being pulled and totting her bag to keep up.

Once they were in the woods, a large metallic sphere greeted them. The top split in two and Pyro climbed in, releasing Kitty's wrist.

He stare at her side-long, "last chance," he said and something flashed across his face that Kitty had not thought that she would see on his face, compassion, concern, fear, but it was gone and she immediately assumed that it was just a trick of the light from the moon that shone down from the trees.

Her decision, half because she was curious as to what Magneto could offer her and half to prove Pyro wrong, (because she had this suspicious feeling that he didn't think that she would come) she climbed into the orb standing in front of him and dropped her bag at their feet.

The dome on the orb began to close and he grabbed a hold on her belt loop, pulling her towards him.

She gasped and reached up, gripping his shoulders as his other hand lay on her hip and the dome closed, and with a shudder moved. It took mere seconds for Kitty to realize that it was moving like an elevator, lifting into the sky at an amazing speed.

"Don't touch the sides," he said.

"Why not?"

"Do whatever you want, burn your hand off, I don't care," he told her and she shuttered in his grasp.

Her heart was racing in fear and anticipation and confusion as to what was truly going on here.

They slowed suddenly and Kitty wasn't sure if they had stopped or not, but she pressed her face into the crook of Pyro's neck trembling slightly.

The dome a top them opened and Kitty looked around in bewilderment. Pyro had released his hold on her, but her hands remained where they laid.

"Good job, Pyro," the thick accented man from the alley said leaning against a metal feature of some sort, shuffling a deck of cards in his hands, looking over the two of them and winking at Kitty.

Pyro shrugged Kitty's hands from his shoulders and stepped out of the orb. "It's more that you would've gotten Gambit," he said.

Gambit laughed, "Remy think differently. Remy thinks de femme would have melted in Remy's arms."

"That won't be the only thing that melts," Pyro said clicking his lighter.

"Boys," Mystique said observing them from a landing above them, attached to a set of stairs. Her scornful glare caused Pyro to relinquish his flame and for Remy's cards to stop glowing.

Kitty stepped out and looked around, grabbing her bag, before the metal orb dissolved into a part of the metal floor. She walked out towards the giant glass windows that presented a beautiful view of the darkened earth below them. "Wow," she said mesmerized.

"Welcome to Asteroid M," Magneto said descending the stairs and walking over to Kitty.


	3. Chapter 3

"Asteroid M is my newest base of operations, away from both the humans and from other mutant forces that would seek to destroy or prevent us from continuing the mutant domination over the lesser beings on earth," Magneto said finally standing next to her

"Asteroid M is my newest base of operations, away from both the humans and from other mutant forces that would seek to destroy or prevent us from continuing the mutant domination over the lesser beings on earth," Magneto said finally standing next to her, looking down upon the beautiful blue ball beneath them.

Kitty only nodded her head.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Pyro and I have some business to deal with back on earth," Magneto said turning to face her with a kind smile before departing in a metal orb that separated itself from the floor.

"Mystique, would you mind showing our newest member to her quarters and giving her a brief tour for me while I'm gone?"

"I'm not a baby-sitter, Eric," she said before stalking off through the sliding doors.

Magneto cast a look upon Gambit who in return jumped up from the filing cabinet and walked up to Kitty, offering her his arm. "Remy would be honored, Magneto." He said taking Kitty's bag from her side.

Kitty gave Gambit a skeptical once-over before looking back to Magneto. He and Pyro were standing in the closing orb, just before it sunk to the ground on a metal platform. Remy wrapped Kitty's hand through his pro-offered arm and he lead her to the stairs, gesturing her to head up the steep stairs ahead of her.

She rolled her eyes and held her breath, moving up through the air and the bottom of the stairs, landing in front of a large metal door.

Remy quickly took the stairs grinning and walked closer to the door, into its sensor path and the door slide open for the two of them. Remy showed Kitty down the hall to the left was an opening met the tour guide and his case, "kitchen," he said simply. "It's well stocked, but no one ever bothers cooking, it's mostly get what you want and eat when you want. Unless you want Remy to cook some of his famous gumbo for you," he winked.

Kitty scoffed and continued down the hall.

"Game room," Remy said standing in front of a rather small recreational room on the other side of the hall with a TV that looked broken and a wooden circular table set up with chairs around it, a silver poker set placed on the center of the table.

They approached another door which slid open with a hiss and Remy grinned even wider if possible, "the living quarters," he told her with a gleam in his eye.

"Magneto, Mystique, Pyro, Remy's," he said naming the doors as they passed, alternating left and right, "and 'dis will be your chamber, chat," he smirked at her.

Kitty glowered, bobbing her head, "Nice alliteration, Gumbo," she said.

"Remy's room right across the hall if you need help or get lonely." His look couldn't be any more obvious. "And don't worry about the screaming at night, firefly can't handle his nightmares."

"Firefly? You mean Pyro? What nightmares?" Kitty asked confused.

"You see, chat, you'll see," Remy swore before setting her bag down at her feet and disappearing into his quarters.

Kitty rolled her eyes and entered her new room, looking around at its amazing plainness. There was a double bed, a closet door with a skinny mirror hanging over it, a separate door that led to a wash room with a toilet and small cubicle shower, and a solitary dresser along the opposite wall. The color was all metallic; gun metal like, Kitty couldn't help but frown. She took her bag over to the simply covered bed; sheet, comforter, pillow, and set it down. She opened it and began replacing her tanks and tees into drawers, socks, panties, bras, and her face flushed red when she saw her special lingerie packed tightly to the side, next to her jeans. She tossed them haphazardly into a draw and hung her jeans with haste.

When she was finished she looked around the room confused and sat on the bed. There was nothing her for her to really do, she left her closet door open to achieve some color, but the blue and grays melded into one dark boring color to her.

Kitty moved back on her bed and stare at the ceiling, letting her eyes flutter shut, blankly, and soon she drift to sleep out of sheer boredom.

Later, her door hissed open and Kitty shot up in bed to see Gambit standing in her doorway, "Mag's wants to see you," he told her and she stood, leaving the room with her.

He led her further into the asteroid until the descended a set of stairs, leading to a corridor equally as long above it with four doors, the one right in front of them hiss open and Gambit left her.

Kitty ventured slowly into the room, seeing Magneto seating at a surprising wooden desk, in a room full of books. She gasped and looked around excitedly. Before Magneto cleared his throat, setting down his book and drawing her attention.

Kitty steeled herself and said, "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, my dear, now that you are one of us, there are a few things that you need to understand."

Kitty was unsure of what to think but listened intently.

"You're loyalty to Mutant kind is vital. Human rights are no longer an issue to us. They will try to tell you that you are fighting for terrorists, but what we want is the recognition of our species as significant and more evolved than humans. It is scientific truth. We are expressing our defense against the human opposition. They do not want us in their towns, in their countries, in their schools, workplaces, they do not want us to exist.

"They are prejudice to us because we are more advanced than they and they cannot accept this fact," he said truthfully.

Kitty nodded her head, she had began to realize all of this at the beginning of the summer, that the Professor's dream for mutant and human harmony could never happen with the constant human factor of fear and injustice. "Yes, I know this now," Kitty said with a grim smile.

"Good," Magneto said with a curt nod of his head. "I see that you take some interest in books? This is the library, and you are welcome to come here whenever you would like."

"What about education?" Kitty questioned.

"Why you never have to lift another page of a mathematics or history book if you choose to do so, but may I say that we have quite the expansive collection of both. Education is not compulsory here Shadowcat."

"I figured," she scoffed drawing a very funny mental image of Mystique trying to instruct Gambit and Pyro, Gambit constantly attempting to butter up Mystique and Pyro constantly trying to set something on fire. "But, 'those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it,'."

A smile spread to Magneto's face, "George Santayana, very wise."


	4. Chapter 4

It had been merely a week since her life at Asteroid M began, she cared after herself mostly, some nights all five of them (Quicksilver being stationed elsewhere with a few other of Magneto's Acolytes, including his sister, the Scarlet Witch) would eat a

It had been merely a week since her life at Asteroid M began, she cared after herself mostly, some nights all five of them (Quicksilver being stationed elsewhere with a few other of Magneto's Acolytes, including his sister, the Scarlet Witch) would eat a dish that Gambit prepared, soupy mostly and definitely spicy, Kitty had gone through three glasses of water at dinner that night to stop her mouth from burning, with the aid of a slice of bread.

Her training sessions began with Mystique, who would use every opportunity to put Kitty into some sort of submission hold in her hand-to-hand combat training, nearly breaking one of Kitty's bones every session. This had created a good deal of bitterness between the women. Kitty was to start her weapons training soon, much to her surprise.

"Weapons training?" Kitty questioned confused. "I didn't think that we used weapons."

Mystique let out a hearty laugh at this, earning a look from Magneto before she was addressed by him. "We must be prepared for every situation Shadowcat;" he said simply, "Gambit will begin your lessons tomorrow."

Kitty nodded and shoveled another spoonful of the spicy gumbo into her mouth, thinking about what this would exactly do to her.

Later that night she sat in Magneto's library, reading _Heart of Darkness_ near a dusty table lamp.

"What are you doing in here?" a voice called from in front of her, startling her from her book as she looked up at the disgruntled Pyro.

"I'm reading what does it look like?" she retorted with just as much bane in her voice.

"Did you ever think that anyone else was reading that?" Pyro asked clearly frustrated.

Kitty didn't look up, turning the page she replied, "I didn't think that you used books for anything other than coasters."

Fuming, Pyro turned to leave, clicking the lighter attached to his wrist.

"Wait," Kitty said, finally looking up at his back, holding the heavy book out to his reach. "Take it, there is a library full of other books I can choose from."

Pyro paused at the door, tensing his shoulders before relaxing and easing his way back into the room. He snatched the novella from Kitty's outstretched hand and throwing himself into a leather arm chair, he laid his right ankle across his left knee, opening the book to an ear leafed page.

She observed him with a curious grin before shuffling off to an expansive bookshelf and grabbing a familiar title. Making her way back to the plush leather couch adjacent from Pyro, she curled up against the arm and opened the title.

For a while, silence and the occasional sound of a turning page was the only noise that filled the room. But soon, as Kitty moved her way around on the couch, switching to a comfortable reading position she shivered as the cold leather came in contact with her exposed skin, and from the feel of the sticking material, it didn't appear to be absorbing her body heat enough to warm up. She suppressed her shivers until a small chatter escaped her lips, her teeth clanging noisily together in the barren room.

Pyro spared a glance up from his book and saw her shaking form. Without a second glance he turned and reached his hand out, allowing the wrist lighter to click and a small jet of fire bolted into the fireplace, kindling it to life.

Kitty couldn't help but smile to herself as the warmth rushed over her body and she looked up from _Pride and Prejudice_ to Pyro who sat continuing to read, one hand holding the book and the other resting on the arm of the chair, his fingers jittering. She observed this for a moment before she saw the fire surge and retreat, drawing her attention to it.

From what she saw, she could make out the flames portraying a steamboat making its way downstream and she watched it avidly, before speaking out, "I've already read that part," she said startling him slightly. With his concentration broken he looked at her confused as she frowned, the flames dying and returning to simple singed wood.

He spared her a glance and she looked at him expectantly and he relit the fire, but no pictures danced in the flames.


	5. Chapter 5

Kitty stare up at the bright square lights that dotted the ceiling as she lay flat on her back on the squishy padded training floor

Kitty stare up at the bright square lights that dotted the ceiling as she lay flat on her back on the squishy padded training floor. She sighed before her eyes widened and she rolled tightly onto her side, jumping into a defensive stance as a bo-staff landed with a THWAP on the mat where Kitty's head had previously been. She spotted her dropped weapon about fifteen yards away. Gambit was now standing in her way, assaulting her with the staff. She ducked, dodged, parried with her forearms and shin, rolling to the side out of the way. He struck at her feet, and she jumped back and he used the staff as a pull vault and rocketed his feet into her abs, knocking her back to the ground once again, causing her to wince in pain. She pulled herself to her feet as Gambit chuckled at her greenness. Locating her staff opposite of her behind Gambit, she deducted that he was fighting her away from it.

The door slid open with a hiss and Pyro walked into the training room, faded black camouflage pants, black cut-sleeved shirt, pants tucked into boot. He made his way to the wall and leaned back against it, face blank, showing nothing.

Kitty glanced at him only to be attacked by Gambit once again. He thrust at hr middle.

She side-stepped him, and grabbed the staff, pushing it up knocking him with it under his jaw, with just enough force to shock his grip off the staff. She struck at his feet and propelled herself forward, launching her foot into Gambit's face knocking him onto his back. Finishing her attach by settling into a striker position, the top of the staff against his throat.

Gambit smiled, "Very good, chat," he said grabbing the end of the staff and moving it away from his mandible he pulled himself up, "You getting better ev'ry time."

"Thanks Gumbo," she replied, picking up her discarded staff and placed them in the weapon closet across from the door. As she turned she saw Pyro and Gambit talking a grin on Gambit's face, Pyro's face held a furrowed brow, lips pursed, eye blazing. "We done here, Gambit?" she questioned approaching the two men.

Gambit turned to her and smiled while Pyro still glared at Gambit's back. "Sure, chat. Let's hit eh showers," he said wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

She sneered beneath the surface and brushed his arm away.

Pyro's glare faded as he saw this and said to her, "Nice moves, Shadowcat."

Kitty turned to him and flashed him a bright smile "Thanks Pyro," sincerity flooding her voice as she tread past Mystique to the shock at what appeared to her to be a compliment from him.

After her shower Kitty dressed in loose pants and a tee shirt, heading out of her room towards the kitchen to get something to eat. She opened the refrigerator and pulled out chicken from the drawer and some greens from a bag.

Minutes later she stood in the kitchen , book in hand, and tossed the cut up chicken in a thin cream sauce with the greens tossed in. She set down the wooden spoon and turned the page, taking a moment to inspect the food. Seeing the delicious dish complete, she turned off the heat and spooned a portion onto her plate and then shoveled the rest into a plastic container, pressing down on the lid and then popping it into the fridge and moving the hot skillet carefully into the sink. Sitting down at the table she resumed her reading, nearing the end of her book as she quietly ate.

"I see you found something suitable to read," Magneto said entering the kitchen.

Kitty jumped in surprise and looked up at him with a slight smile, "The collection is amazing. I don't think I've ever seen this many books in a private collection," she said firmly, reaching to take another bite but recoiled. "I don't know how long it'll take me to read them all."

Magneto laughed and filled his glass with water, raising it to his lips, "Take your time child, you have all the time you need," he said this and left as quickly as he came.

Not moments later, Pyro walked into the kitchen, sweat not yet dried from his brow as he gazed over at Kitty in passing. He raised an eyebrow and walked behind her, reaching into the cupboard and retrieving a bowl, a box of sugary cereal and a spoon from the drawer. He leaned back against the counter and crunched loudly on it.

After several seconds Kitty spoke, not setting her book down, "Dry cereal?"

Chewing and swallowing audibly, Pyro responded before shoveling another spoonful into his mouth, "It tastes good."

Slamming her book shut, she set her dirty plate in the sink running it under the water. "There is extra food in the fridge," she said before taking the book and exiting the kitchen as Remy entered.

"What you do 'dis time?" Remy questioned grinning wickedly at Pyro.

The latter shrugged, "She made me food."

Pyro stood in the lukewarm shower, rinsing the sweat ad grime mixed with the manly-scented soap from his body. His brow furrowed as he thought over his conversation with Gambit.

_Game sauntered over to Pyro, watching his gaze follow Shadowcat. "Jealous, Firefly?"_

_Pyro turned his glare to Gambit, "of what?"_

_"Well," he paused looking back, "you get here with de femme in yo' arms. But not, Remy can't keep de chat off 'im," he said with a sly gin._

_"It's training Gambit, don't take it seriously."_

_"She's-_

A knock drew Pyro from his memory and he shouted over the water, "In a minute!" He turned off the spray and grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around his waist, stepping out of the shower and opening the bathroom door. "Jesus! Kitty?" he called out in shock as the girl turned, dropping the picture frame that she was holding.

She looked up and stared for a moment at the wet Pyro who seemed to clutch his towel a little tighter. "Here," Kitty said handing him the withered copy of her book.

He looked at her with a furrowed brow, "thanks," was the hesitant reply as he reached out and took it from her, as she practically dropped the book into his hand.

After a moment in which Kitty studied Pyro's face as he look at her blankly she said, "It's my favorite book." Giving him a curt nod, she turned on her heel and left his room with some amount of haste.

He watched her leave carefully, as the door slid shut he walked over and set the book down on the dresser next to his bed as he bent down and picked up the dropped picture frame. Inside it contained a picture of him and his mother, right before his mutation manifested and when he picked it up another picture fell out of the back. Back when he and Bobby where friends, they were goofing around playing with their mutations, striking body builder-esque poses.

"-_over you Pyro, don't take it to heart," Gambit quipped as Kitty walked over._

_ "We done here, Gambit?"_

_Gambit gave Pyro an invisible challenge and turned to her smiling. "Sure, chat. Let's hit eh showers," he said wrapping his arm around her shoulder._

_A look of disgust passed over Kitty's face before she picked Gambit's hand off of her shoulder._

_His heart jumped a little and before he knew what came out of his mouth, he said something to her. "Nice moves, Shadowcat."_

_ "Thanks Pyro," she said with a brilliant smile just for him._

_ He watched her leave as Mystique came though the entrance._

_ "What was that?" she asked menacingly._

'Nothing,' had been his answer to Mystique at the time. "I don't know," he said now in response after replaying the memory. In the background of the picture he could see a girl, carrying a armful of books, walking out of the wall behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning when Kitty entered the kitchen she was greeted by the mass that was the Brotherhood eating breakfast and conversing quietly with each other. "Mornin' chat," Remy greeted. Everyone else looked up and greeted her as well.

She stopped short, empty coffee mug in hand and stared at them confused. Pouring herself a cup she glared at them all. "Since when are we the Partridge Family?" she asked adding two spilling spoonfuls of sugar to her cup, taking a long pull on the black liquid.

"You'll get used to it," Mystique said bleakly sipping her coffee and turning the page of today's newspaper.

"Right," Kitty said plopping herself down at the opposite end of the table. In the center, there were several different newspapers, and she reached out to rifle through, but could not finding anything interesting. She reclined back and drank her coffee quickly and fought not to grind her teeth at Pyro's crunching. Finishing she pushed the chair out abruptly, standing she reached the sink and rinsed out her cup.

"Be ready in ten minutes," Mystique called over to her.

Kitty whipped her head around, brow furrowed, "huh?"

"We're going down there, you need more suitable clothes for training and combat," she replied not sparing her a glance.

Kitty looked around the table at her teammates; Remy was cutting an apple with a steak knife, next to Mystique. At the opposite end of the table was Magneto reading the New York Times. Pyro sat at his left, across from Mystique, hording over his dry cereal. "Um, ok?" Kitty said and quickly left the kitchen, she hurried into her room and changed, putting on jeans as she picked up a pink tee shirt before discarding it for a gray one and a green zip up hoodie as she stepped into her tennis shoes. She rushed out into the kitchen and leaned in the door, slightly panicked not seeing her there. She looked, seeing only Pyro reading her book.

"Where-?" she asked.

He didn't look up and instead just pointed ahead.

Kitty glared at him, "thanks," she said slowly turning and heading to the control room where she had entered. Down typing loudly on a computer console was Mystique.

"You're late," she said not turning to see if it was Kitty or not.

Kitty sighed and walked down the stairs, stuffing her hands deep into her jacket pockets. She looked up to see what Mystique was hacking and she was met with an image of herself. Confused, she asked "why are you searching me?"

"No you," Mystique said before turning to face her, transforming before her eyes into an older woman with chin length light brown hair, in a white blouse and jeans.

"My mom?" Kitty asked looking astonished.

Mystique turned back to the computer, "Who else did you expect?" she questioned, still sporting her enigmatic voice. She typed quickly on the computer and Kitty watched intrigued until the familiar pulse of a phone ring sounded from the computer.

What Kitty heard next was her mother's voicemail greeting. She listened through it, staring at Mystique blankly, and she was not surprised in realizing how much she really didn't miss home.

"Let's go," Mystique said now imitating Kitty's mother's voice.

A simple nod was all Kitty could muster and they stepped into a metal sphere that appeared before them. The descent back down to earth felt slow, like an elevator that only traveled two or three floors, and before Kitty knew it the sensation of the ride stopped. They landed in an alleyway, and silently they stepped out onto the concrete.

Taking the lead, Mystique walked quickly out of the alleyway and Kitty stepped quickly to keep up. She looked back just before they rounded a corner to see the giant metal orb to melt into a puddle in the corner.

"Where are we going anyway?" Kitty questioned, keeping pace with the older woman.

"To get you a new look," she said as they entered the chic salon and immediately Mystique went around looking at the different photos of styles on the wall, while the stylist greeted Kitty.

"Hi, Welcome to Madeline's! What were you looking at getting done today?" the girl asked, her name was Sarah, Kitty noted from the silver name tag.

Kitty had opened her mouth to respond, but Mystique appeared at her side and answered for her. "My daughter and I are here to get her a makeover," she said, plastering her mother's smile on her mother's face. It looked real, and sounded fine, but it was so unreal it made Kitty inwardly cringe.

"Oh," Sarah said. "Any particular reason?"

"New school," both said simultaneously, causing Kitty to glare at Mystique and Sarah to look at them with a suspicious stare.

"Ok," she turned and led them through the salon. "So what did you have in mind?"

"Red highlights?" Kitty shrugged following Sarah, before glowering at Mystique, "and maybe a pixie cut?"

Mystique frown, "I was thinking blonde with extensions."

"Oh, well, we have an assortment of wigs," Sarah suggested over her shoulder, smiling brightly at the two of them.

Kitty grimaced at the thought, "wigs?"  
"Come on honey, you know, I used to wear wigs at your age," Mystique declared grinning.

"Well we can't all changer our appearance as easily as you can, _mom_," she stressed.

"It's a new school, _dear_; I'm just trying to make you less transparent."

"Can I talk to you for a minute, mom?" Kitty said heading towards the front corner of the store.

Mystique stomped over, crossing her arms, "what?"

"Why are we here? I mean, why do I need a makeover?" Kitty said confused.

"Because you are recognizable. Magneto may need you to infiltrate enemy bases and you're a big secret. As of yet, the Institute has not reopened, they may be expecting you."

"You're sending me back?! I left to leave, not to act as a spy. I don't want to go back there, you can't make me," Kitty stressed near tears.

Mystique looked at her concerned, "We'll just do this. We'll get you your red highlights and look at some wigs," she said before turning and heading back over to Sarah who tried to act as if she hadn't been eavesdropping.

Kitty wiped off her face and trudged back to the chair and sat down roughly. Sarah place a magazine on her lap and stood back turning through a drawer, pulling out a large plastic sheet with strands of dyed hair attached to it. Kitty then found a picture of a girl, smiling and screaming from the magazine with white blonde haircut spiked all over her head with patches and stripes of a blackish blue dye streamed through. Grinning she pointed at the picture, "This," she said and pointed to the fire engine, red delicious apple, cherry red strand, "and this."

Sarah nodded and took the magazine and the color table about, setting them on the counter and covering Kitty with a cape as Mystique leaned over Kitty's shoulder and looked at the cut. "Nice choice, we'll pick out a blonde wig when you're finished."

More than an hour later, Kitty sat squinting, her eyes nearly closed, as Sarah pulled and molded her hair into place with styling wax, "you know it's a little different. You're bangs look so much better with his hair then the style in the picture," Sarah commented. Mystique didn't look up at this, but still remained sitting behind them, flipping through her eighth gossip magazine.

"Ok," Sarah announced, "finished!" she spun Kitty's chair around and handed her a mirror. She opened her eyes and gasped, staring at the cropped cut, spiked in the back, her bangs shaped and framed with pins out of her eyes.

"It's amazing!" Kitty exclaimed.

Mystique stood up and walked over, examining her thoroughly, "You look-" she cut herself off and dropped her smile, turning to Sarah, "let's see your wigs."

"Right," Sarah said heading into the back.

Kitty ran her fingers through her short locks, pulling at the brown and red spikes and flattening her bangs as Mystique watched on.

Sarah returned with a few choices and Mystique insisted on a platinum blonde wig with flat straight bangs, and a length that neared the middle of Kitty's back. Mystique then helped show Kitty how to put on the wig, pinning back her bangs and clipping the new hairpiece to her head. Before they left, to Kitty's shock, Mystique bought her new shampoo, conditioner and styling products.

After doing so, the duo left the salon and walked cheerfully chatting about hair and fashion and what Mystique could remember from the human gossip magazines. Kitty did notice that when Mystique laughed, it wasn't like her mother's airy giggle with the occasional snort, it was a deep laugh that cause her to smile and made Mystiques face scrunch and her eyes to gleam, which gave Kitty a lighter feel of comfort in her stomach.

They at last entered a leather good shop, and they looked at boots mostly and eventually settled on a pair of steel-toed combat boots.

"They aren't very flattering," Kitty grimaced posing in front of a mirror.

"They're functional," Mystique said, sighing and waiting for Kitty to decide.

"You're sure?" she asked casting a glance over her shoulder on to see the older woman glare. "Ok," Kitty gulped quickly unlacing the boots and putting them back into the box, turning to hand it to Mystique who went to pay. Kitty slipped her tennis shoes back on and spotted something out of the corner of her eye, "Ooh!" she exclaimed excitedly, "how about a jacket?" she asked pulling at a brown leather jacket and slipping it on.

"No," Mystique said, taking the bag and heading towards the door, "let's go."

Kitty frowned and put the jacket back and met Mystique at the door, taking the bag of hair products from her, looking up at the darkening sky. They hurried down the street, hustling back to their entrance when a strong hand wrapped itself around Kitty's upper arm, effectively spinning her to face its owner.

"Half-pint?" a perplexed Logan questioned staring at the girl in his grasp.

"Let go!" Kitty screamed, trying to shake the hand, before she looked into his face and gasped.

"Wait a minute," he said tightening his grip, he sniffed the air and snarled as Mystique turned around and landed a powerful kick to his head.

He lost his grip on Kitty and she took off running, much like Mystique, and both heading to the alleyway. They raced, neither looking behind them to see if he was following them or not, but when they reached the alley, the familiar _**shink**_ of his claws drew their attention to the entrance.

He growled with feral semblance at the two of them and charged. They discarded their bags to the side and Mystique dropped into a defensive stance while Kitty snatched the fire escape and flipped over Logan's head landing behind him. He assaulted Mystique with his claws, slashing at her face and body while she dipped and dodged gracefully out of his reach. Kitty then reached to her side and grabbed the empty dumpster than clung to the wall and shoved it as hard as she could at Logan. He turned, hearing the screeching of the metal against the concrete and he reached out stopping it from crushing him. But when he turned around, they were gone.

"Half-pint?" he asked out loud, unsure if the girl who was with Mystique was really the girl who could walk through walls or not.


	7. Chapter 7

"The students should be arriving soon," a man said uneasily.

"What's wrong Professor?" Emma Frost said setting an armful of file folders on the desk, mostly student records, rooming information and so on and then turned crossing her arms.

"I'm not sure, but something feels off," he frowned pacing the office.

"I'm sure it's just your new body," Storms suggested as she entered the room. "These things take time to adjust."

"No," she said. "Logan," she called out when the man walked in, clearly disturbed.

"Yeah ran into Mystique," Emma offered.

"No," the Professor said once again. "Kitty," his voice filled with shock, causing Storm to shudder. Xavier's face clouded over with uncertainty. "She's joined the Brotherhood."

"Well Magneto has his power back. He's obviously recruiting again."

"Do you think this has anything to do with-" the Professor began but was cut off by the sound of approaching cars, containing the returning students.

"Should we tell the students?" Storm questioned.

Xavier furrowed his brow, "no," he answered, "let's not worry them about the continuing evil in the world. Not yet."

"Right," Storm replied before leaving to greet the students.

Xavier walked back around to his desk, lifting the first few files and thumbing through them.

"Professor?" Emma began, "I'm not so sure if some of our new students will-"

"fit in?" he finished for her. "I'm sure they'll do just fine," he smiled.

"But with they twin's colorful background, don't they remind you of another student who-"

"If they follow in his foot steps I would have failed them as a mentor, just as I have failed Kitty."

"You can't blame yourself for her decision," Emma tried.

"No, but I should have known," he said slamming his fist in frustration on the top of the files. "Unfortunately I don't know how she could ever forgive me."

"Prof-" Emma began when the door opened slowly with a knock.

"You wanted to see me Professor?" Rogue entered smiling brightly at the grim man before her.

"Excuse us, Emma," he commanded.

Emma Frost walked past the girl giving her a strict once-over before heading out into the hallway. She leaned against the mahogany wall and observed two girls, identical in appearance carrying one large box with all of their belongings, tattered book bags clinging to their backs fasted and repaired with layers of silver duct tape.. Approaching them were two girls, familiar students at the school.

"Did you hear?" Jubilee called loudly to her companion. "They aren't even genetic mutants!"

"No way!" Siren giggled gleefully.

"Yeah their wings were implanted."

"Wow, Professor Xavier is just letting in anyone who claims to have an ability these days."

"You got a problem?" the older asked.

"Yeah, you two are freaks!" Siren laughed.

"Do you think we asked to be experimented on?" the younger cried.

The two girls just laughed cruelly at the twins.

Suddenly the elder's skin crawled and gray scales moved over her arms, neck and the sides of her face, eyes turning red and baring her teeth in anger, growling draconically at the two opposing girls in front of her.

The box they were carrying floated in the air between them before opening and exploding with ornamental knives, controlled by the younger.

The blonde girl standing across from them just smirked and folded her arms, inhaling deeply and letting out an ear-splitting scream aimed at the twins.

They shrunk back, protecting their ears. The knives shook in the air, some of them flew about while others fell to the floor.

Finally stepping in, Emma yelled telepathically, "_STOP_!"

Siren stopped and the knives flew into the walls, one landing next to Emma's head.

Alyson reached out and grabbed Siren tightly by the throat. "You ever sing like that again birdie, I'm ripping your throat out," she threatened.

"I said stop," Emma said walking up to them causing Alyson to drop the girl.

"Come one," Jubilee started, "let's go before they try and kill us again!" she giggled.

Siren followed quickly clutching her throat, "I think she seriously damaged something," she whimpered.

"They ARE seriously damaged!" Jubilee bellowed.

"Don't worry about them," Emma said approaching. "It'll get easier."

Alyson's scales retreated beneath her skin and the malicious glow in her eyes faded, "Yeah, I'm so sure," she scoffed as her sister collected her weapons.

"I'm Emma Frost," she said introducing herself politely.

Alyson glared at her skeptically, "I'm Dagger – that's Cloak," she nodded to her sister Morgan.

Emma grinned wickedly, "Right, well, if you have anymore trouble please don't hesitate to come and speak with me." An underlying whisper reached the both of them.

The girls frowned at her and moved away, Morgan setting her knives back into their box while Alyson picked up the scattered objects.

_Community here is not an option for you._

Behind the two a large young man walked the halls, carrying all of his luggage easily, peeking in and out of rooms quickly, and searching the halls. He walked quickly up to Emma and asked her, "Excuse ma'am, have you seen Kitty Pryde?"

Another boy walked past, carrying a duffle bag and glared at the taller boy mumbling, "Who cares?"


	8. Chapter 8

Shaking, she moved slowly from the control room and stopped at her room when the door slid open. Kitty set down the bags inside of the door and turned heading down the hall, listening for the angry hiss of her door. Entering the library, she grabbed a new title from the shelf and sat on her favorite leather couch, opening the book, attempting to begin reading.

Her mind wandered an the words on the page jumbled before her. She held the book in place but let her mind run. Again they fought Logan, and she used much of her strength pushing that large metal dumpster at their assailant. When he was distracted, she dropped through the ground and reached up, tearing through the concrete, grabbing mystique and the metal blob, running through the wall and ascending to the roof, where the blob solidified into a sphere and they jumped in. Quickly they made their escape from New York City.

Kitty shook her head and looked up at the blazing fire before her and scratched her hair under her wig and allowed herself to daydream into the fire about New York if Logan hadn't shown up.

"How was your girl's day out with Mystique?" Pyro asked with a sarcastic tone dripping from his voice.

Startled, Kitty sat upright and straightened her book, pretending to be consumed within the science fiction instead of allowing her mind to wander past the words.

He sat in front of her on the wooden table flipping through the book. Looking up he mused, "I didn't think you had it in you to go blonde," he commented before turning his attention back to the novel.

She looked up at him over the top of her book and was slightly unnerved by his closeness and she fought her instinct to shrink back into the couch. "I didn't," she finally replied realizing that he had spoken to her, before absently reaching up and scratching her head, "it's a wig."

Pyro's face flashed surprise and a small grimace, "a wig? Like what little old ladies wear?"

Kitty looked at him blankly. "Does this look like a wig a little old lady would wear to bingo?" she questioned annoyed.

Pyro laughed, "No."

"Then shut up," Kitty glared, and returned to her book.

Pyro looked up, slightly shocked. "What?" he said venom seeping into his voice.

Kitty blushed and buried her nose deeper into the book that she was failing to read. "Nothing," she mumbled.

"No," Pyro said jumping up and grabbing her upper arms, pinning her to the back of the couch, "what?" He looked into her eyes and noticed the same fear and uneasiness that clouded her hazel eyes since he approached her, and he was sure that it wasn't him putting it there. Loosening his grip, he leaned back and let go, sitting back on the table once more, "what happened?"

"We fought Wolverine," she said quickly, staring at him terrified. "He attacked us as we were leaving, he recognized me," she said to him slightly shaken.

Pyro frowned and gazed upon her. "Maybe you should wear that wig," he suggested before standing up and exiting the library.


	9. Chapter 9

"I can see why you like this book," he said striding into the study, dropping the half read copy onto the table, turning to kindle the fire.

"Why?" Kitty questioned not looking up from '1984'. "Because it's a romance?"

"No," Pyro said mocking her tone, "because you can relate to her."

"Who?" Kitty asked with the deer-in-headlights look plastered to her features.

Pyro glanced over his shoulder to see her rigid figure and he grinned, "Elizabeth Bennet."

She relaxed her posture but then pursed her lips. "Well then, who is my Mr. Darcy?"

Pyro chuckled. "I can think of a few candidates, but, none seem worthy enough, of course," he mocked.

"Who says Elizabeth was my favorite character?" she rolled her eyes.

"Stubborn, defensive, harsh? Ring any bells?" he smirked.

"Jane is my favorite character."

"But you're not Jane, you're Elizabeth."  
"We were friends, at Xavier's, weren't we?" she asked quickly changing the subject and setting her book down.

Pyro frowned, furrowing his brow, "I don't know, I guess, we were friends with the same people."

"Don't worry about hurting my feelings. I didn't think that we were friends," she provided. "Things change."

John crossed his arms and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But we're friends now, yeah?"

"Of course!" Kitty answered quickly.

They sat in silence for only seconds before the door slid open beside them and a group of young adults entered the library, chatting excitedly.

Kitty observed them for a few seconds and groaned in annoyance. "Excuse me," Kitty said loudly, grabbing their attention. "People come to the library because it's quiet. You're kinda screwing that up for me. Get lost," she said with a slight scowl.

"Katya?" a deep, yet excited voice called out.

Kitty's face whitened as she looked up at the group, now seeing Peter standing in the front smiling at her. "Pete," she said disdainfully as he stepped forward.

"Come on, let's finish the tour," a tall blonde said glaring at Kitty only letting it melt away from her features to grin at John.

"I like your new hair," Pete said before disappearing out of the door with the rest of the group.

"Who was that-?"

"Things did change-"

Kitty turned to look at Pyro, only to see him staring intensely at her.

"Well, you must be a sight for sore eyes for Lughead."

"What do you mean?" Kitty frowned.

"He looked like he wanted to mount you on the couch, and the desk, against that bookshelf-"

"Alright, I get it."

"So you and Lughead?"

"What? No, well I mean-"

"You don't have to go into the details, I have a, vivid, mental picture," he said putting his hands up while grimacing.

"Pete and I aren't - who was that blonde?" Kitty glared.

"Emma Frost, telepath, Magneto's double agent.

"She looked like she wanted to ride you in-"

"Hey, Emma may want me, but she's getting it elsewhere."

"Where?"

"Wherever she wants. Pietro mostly, but he'll fuck anything in a skirt."

"Well, that's not surprising."

"So," he paused. "What made you change?"

"When you left," she frowned, inhaling deeply before beginning again. "When they came back after Ms. Grey and you," she paused. Looking up at his face, she observed his tight jaw and continued. "I didn't take it well. Bobby was there, as a friend, and also after the Professor was killed," she trailed off. "When Bobby came back from looking for Rogue, at the clinic you blew up, he was distraught. He thought Rogue was dead. I thought you were a terrorist. He was devastated. I was his friend."

"You didn't," John sneered, forcing himself to look away.

Kitty believed she saw his shoulders jump, and she looked away from him, knowing that he was refusing the urge to vomit in disgust and anger at her.

"I can't believe you fucked Creamcicle," he turned to glare at her.

She snapped her head back around towards him, "you murdered his girlfriend."

"She was a traitor to her own kind."

"After Alcatraz, when we returned to school, she was there, cured and pissed off at me. When her powers returned she put me in the hospital for two weeks."

"Then you moved on to Lughead, after your Bingley abandoned you?" he spat vehemently.

"Rogue was back, he got the infidelity out of his system. I was alone again."

John sat in silence staring at her. "Wow," he said.

Kitty glared at him, "what?" she spat.

"Maybe I should have stuck around to see you change. I'm sure I could have taught you a few things Creamcicle never dreamed of."

Kitty scoffed at him, "don't act like you're so high and mighty. I remember exactly what your game was. You played it on what - three, four of my friends?"

"Seven."

Kitty frowned at his response.

"Technically six, but I'm playing it on you right now."

"You make me sick," she said standing and quickly exiting the library, mumbling, "Mr. Darcy my ass."


End file.
